HalfMoon Dreams
by Queriusole
Summary: LupinTonks, Black. Tonks, Lupin and Sirius find slumber on a night during the half-moon. COMPLETE! All dreams now posted.
1. Bedtime

Summary: LupinTonks, Black. Tonks, Lupin and Sirius find slumber on a night during the half-moon.

Author Notes: Sequel to Bookworms, which sets up the characterizations. Occurs during Order of the Phoenix at the beginning of the summer. This relies on the physical features of Lupin as presented in the PoA movie. I see Lupin as only 10 years older than Tonks.

Disclaimer: The characters belong to JK Rowling. The story was written for the pleasure of playing with her characters.  
  
**HALF-MOON DREAMS**  
  
Nymphadora Tonks stumbled into number twelve Gimmauld Place late at night and efficiently banged her shin on the troll foot umbrella stand. She squeezed her eyes shut and wished she could do the same to her ears. She settled for rubbing her temples.  
  
"FILTHY HALF-BLOOD! SHAPE-SHIFTING FREAK!"  
  
"And here I thought I was the only one who earned that epithet," said Remus Lupin to Sirius Black as they rushed toward the portrait in their dressing gowns. They didn't want the Weasley's disturbed this late at night--or rather, early in the morning.  
  
"You'll just have to share the title with Tonks," murmured Sirius. They gave the curtains a great tug, then turned to the woman who was still rubbing her temples. Her eyes looked as pink as her hair.  
  
"What brings you here so late, Tonks?" asked Lupin as he walked up to her. "I'd have stayed up if I knew you were coming."  
  
Tonks yawned widely in response as she tried to explain.  
  
"In English, Tonks," prompted Sirius.  
  
"Sorry, cuz." Tonks shook her head and used a hand on Lupin's shoulder to prop herself up before she continued. "I was working late on some records tracing the whereabouts of Death Eaters. I couldn't risk leaving it at the Ministry Offices once I had it compiled, so I thought I'd bring it right over."  
  
Tonks tugged at a scroll from under her robes and barely missed whacking Lupin on the nose as she presented it to Sirius. "Here, I'll just go home now."  
  
Tonks blinked her eyes and gave another unladylike yawn.  
  
"Best you stay here, Tonks. Your mum would never forgive me if she knew I let you wander off half asleep," said Sirius. "Hm, but I can't put you with Ginny; your stumbling is likely to wake her up. Oh, well, she'll recover."  
  
"You can use my room, Tonks," offered Lupin. Sirius had a point; Tonks would not be one to creep quietly to bed.  
  
"Moony, while I know you'll be a complete gentleman, I don't think--" began Sirius.  
  
"And I'll bunk with you tonight, Sirius, that is, unless you're expecting another visit from Emmeline?" asked Lupin.  
  
Tonks blinked at this comment. "Emmeline Vance? Since when have you been-- "  
  
"We just found it convenient to get re-acquainted in the privacy of my room when she came calling," said Sirius with a grin that suddenly lit his face. Then he frowned. "Besides, that was before the Weasley invasion."  
  
Sirius emitted a regretful sigh, but turned to Lupin and said, "Better bring your own pillow. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go put this away."  
  
"Come on, Tonks, no, this way. That's the coat closet," said Lupin as he guided her up the stairs to his room.  
  
Lupin opened a door and Tonks found the energy to look around the bedroom. The room carried the same gloom that invaded the rest of the house, but the impeccable neatness was evident. An old muggle phonograph was on a table in the corner, books were neatly setting in their shelves and the desk had three neat stacks of parchment.

"Blimey, you're a neatfreak, aren't you?"  
  
"I like an orderly life," agreed Lupin as he pulled open a drawer.  
  
Tonks went to the neatly made bed and laid her wand on the nightstand. She lifted the edge of the bedcover to find tight corners on the bed sheets and whistled.

"My Mum would die for these corners." She turned to her host and asked, while rubbing her eyes, "Bloody hell, Remus, are you sure you want me tangling in your sheets?"  
  
Lupin remained bent over his dresser drawer as he pulled out a t-shirt for Tonks. There was no way he was going to let her see the flush rising on his face as a vivid image accompanied her statement, so he ignored her comment..

"I'm afraid the best I can offer you is a t-shirt, but it should be long enough for you."  
  
He turned to find Tonks had kicked off her shoes and was flopping backwards on the bed while wriggling comfortably. "Mmm, bed good; sleep better."  
  
"Come on, off with the robe," said Lupin as he lifted her body like a rag doll and helped her shrug out of her official Ministry robes, leaving her in an Oxford shirt and dark slacks, her usual Auror attire. She let the robe fall to the floor, but Lupin picked it up and folded it over a chair.  
  
By the time he turned back Tonks had short-cropped black hair, but with long bangs that fell across her forehead. She was wrapping her arms around a pillow and nuzzling her face into it saying, "Mmm, pillow smells nice."  
  
"Tonks, come on, you'll be uncomfortable staying in your clothes. Take the t-shirt and go change. The door in the corner leads to the bath."  
  
Lupin saw one bleary eye open to look at him. "I bet you were a prefect."  
  
But she snatched the t-shirt out of his hand, and wrapped it over her neck. Before he knew it, she was wrestling with her slacks as she tried to pull them off.  
  
"Tonks, be care--"  
  
"Oof. I'm all right." The muffled voice came from the other side of the bed where she had tumbled onto the floor.  
  
Lupin stretched across the mattress to assess the fate of his houseguest only to find Tonks kicking off the last of the slacks with a shimmy of her derriere. He propped his chin on his elbow. Imagine that? Pumpkin colored skivvies.  
  
Tonks then began to crawl on all fours to the door Lupin had indicated, but turned halfway there to look over her shoulder. "Remus, were you staring at my bum?"  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
"Right, then. Glad I wasn't imagining things," said Tonks as she knelt in front of the door to the bathroom. She pressed on the door handle, but her weight swung the door open and carried her through. "Oops!"  
  
Lupin stood and was moving to the bathroom when he heard the door click shut. Great timing, he thought. He was picking up her discarded slacks when he heard the bathroom door open quickly and felt her shirt hit him square in the face.  
  
"That's for looking."  
  
"I'll consider myself duly reprimanded," called Lupin as he folded her clothes and laid them neatly on the chair that held her robe.  
  
Then he heard the bathroom door click open again only to find Tonks' naked arm appearing around the bathroom door to hang her pumpkin colored bra on the handle. He could hear her muffled voice saying, "You need more color to brighten up your room."  
  
"I prefer neutral shades, thanks." Lupin shook his head and reached for the bra.  
  
"Really? Then why were you staring at my--"  
  
"On the other hand, by all means, color my world," said Lupin as he made a firm decision to leave the item alone.  
  
Silence. Lupin heard no sounds indicating she had fallen head first into the toilet bowl, so he decided he'd turn down the bedcovers for her. If she wasn't out in the next minute, he intended to check on her. He fully expected Tonks to crawl into the bathtub to sleep.  
  
Instead, Tonks stepped out of his bathroom with a yawn and stretched like a cat. With her petite height, his t-shirt fell to mid-thigh. Then Tonks opened her dark eyes and suddenly squealed, "BED!"  
  
She took a running leap and with an almost feline grace, did an elegant dive for the bed. She slid efficiently under the covers, nestled her head into one pillow and gave a contented sigh as she gave a body hug to the other pillow.  
  
"Tonks? Tonks, don't fall asleep yet. I need that pillow," said Lupin as he reached for the one she was clasping.  
  
She actually growled and tried to bite him. Him! He was the werewolf!  
  
"Just be glad it's a half-moon," muttered Lupin, but he had a light smile on his face as he saw Tonks smiling, seeming to be content to be sleeping in his bed.  
  
"Sweet dreams, Tonks," said Lupin quietly as he made his exit. He charmed the door so that Kreacher wouldn't bother her, and walked into Sirius' bedroom. He had "split" his bed into two twin beds, making Lupin think of the dorms in Hogwarts.  
  
Sirius was already asleep given the soft snoring he was emitting. Two plump pillows were under his head, none were on the other twin bed.  
  
Lupin felt no guilt as he tugged the lower pillow out from under his friend and settled into sleep.  
  
"What!" said Sirius as his sleep was disturbed by his head suddenly plopping lower. "Moony, I told you to bring your own pillow."  
  
"Your dear cousin has taken both pillows I had as hostages. I dare you to get one away from her, Padfoot."  
  
"Bet she growled at you? Always did that when she was a kid." Sirius yawned. "Too bad it's a half-moon, or you'd be able to give her a run for her money. Good night."  
  
TBC  
  
This chapter is just the set up for the dreams to be revealed in Chapter 2, which was actually the whole point of writing this story.


	2. The Inner Witch

THE INNER WITCH  
  
Through the window, the half-moon shone its light on the sleeping auror. Nymphadora Tonks hugged the pillow against her as she lay in Lupin's bed. She realized that part of her pleasure was derived from having access to the Werewolf's habitat. Her mouth curled into a smile. It was clear that Lupin did think of her as a woman. The question now became, was she a woman that he wanted?  
  
The thought fluttered in her consciousness and seeped into her dreams...  
  
Her head snuck around the door to peek at her target. The man was alone with his attention clearly on the book he was reading. It was a perfect time to test a new look. But who should she be? Tonks had the power to become any man's fantasy, she told herself. She just had to pick the right image to project.  
  
The man had refined tastes, although his poverty didn't allow him indulge in the finer things. Perhaps she needed an upscale look? That was it. An upscale, drippingly feminine facade! She scrunched her face and shifted her appearance. This should do!  
  
Tonks gave her head a quick toss and sauntered forward with determination. She was pleased with her elegant stride and relieved at the absence any stumbling. She should be the epitome of confident femininity.  
  
"What's a pretty girl like you doing in this morbid house?" Lupin asked with a light smile when he saw her, although he barely lifted his head from his book.  
  
Her lips curled into a confident smile as she approached, although she would have preferred his complete attention. He was reaching a hand absently out to touch her. He seemed to move ever so slowly. One more inch and he--  
  
Began scratching her on the head?  
  
"Where did you come from, girl?" Lupin asked without moving his gaze from his book as his fingers tangled in the hair.  
  
Tonks tried to talk, but instead emitted a low howl. She stopped in surprise and moved back, finally noticing she had not two legs, but four. And what was that wagging behind her?  
  
Her eyes swung to the darkened window and the reflected image made her stomach turn. She scurried into the hallway to try to regain her wits when she ran full steam into an enormous black dog.  
  
"Really, Tonks, a poodle?" Her cousin Sirius appeared as Snuffles, but he was able to talk. "Too fluffy, too, I don't know, white, although I must say the coiffure is impeccable."  
  
Tonks surveyed her coat and scrunched her nose. She looked like caricature of a French poodle, but she still couldn't talk.  
  
"Try again, Tonks. Go on, you can do it," encouraged Snuffles. "Perhaps you should go for something less sophisticated. Moony is a man of simple tastes, after all. Just be yourself."  
  
Tonks closed her eyes and tried again. Snuffles nodded his approval and used his nose to prod her into the room.  
  
Tonks entered quietly, but with her usual happy energy. This time Lupin set the book aside and smiled indulgently at her.  
  
"Looking for company?" he asked as his eyes followed her progress into the room.  
  
Tonks blinked, quite happy that she had his full attention. She didn't even notice something was again amiss in her excitement.  
  
"Come on, then, up you go," said Lupin as he put her onto his lap and settled back to read his book. But one hand was rubbing her shoulders soothingly and a sigh escaped her. Then she saw her reflection in the window again.  
  
Remus Lupin was sitting on the chair, reading his book, but petting the black and white dwarf dog that sat on his lap.  
  
"Perfect," thought Tonks. "My inner self is a Welsh corgi."  
  
But then Tonks the corgi shrugged and settled against the warm body. She closed her eyes to enjoy the soothing rhythm of strokes.

Tonks woke up suddenly as she realized it had all been a dream, but she settled back against the pillows with a smile. Her dream Lupin had excellent hands. She'd have to test out the real one.  
  
TBC  
  
Author Notes: Welsh corgis are "dwarf dog", expression is intelligent and interested, but not shy or vicious, good affinity for children, can make good watch dogs (ideal for auror training and all that constant vigilance). For an example, see Ein from Cowboy BeBop.  
  
Short chapter, I know, but Remus and then Sirius will be next, both with their own dream in a chapter. Thanks to all who've taken the time to review. I like sharing a laugh. 


	3. The Beast Within

THE BEAST WITHIN  
  
The half-moon looked like a sickle as it shone through the window at number twelve Grimmauld Place. Slumbering within lay Professor Remus Lupin. The man had fallen into a dream state and in that dream, the Beast was unleashed...  
  
He stalked to the familiar bed. The form of the woman was easy to distinguish with her dark head nestled comfortably against one pillow while she had another pillow hugged to her body. Nymphadora Tonks. She appeared to be the very essence of innocence and purity, all that could be beautiful in his life.  
  
But the Werewolf leaned forward until his muzzle was mere inches away from the woman. The black nose twitched as he caught her scent and the blood lust began to fill him.  
  
But an echo of the human mind remained and Remus felt the cold dread entering his heart. The danger was evident, but he was helpless to stop the events. Remus could feel himself shouting in his mind, "No!"  
  
The Werewolf seemed to sneer in response. He would have his prey!  
  
The woman suddenly opened her eyes and stared at the creature looming above her for a moment.  
  
The Werewolf expected fear, he reveled in the shrieks to come, he--  
  
Whimpered like a puppy when the woman slammed her wand against his sensitive nose with a mighty swat. The Werewolf stepped back a pace and shook his head.  
  
The woman sat up in bed now as she finally recognized her dilemma.  
  
The Werewolf's face turned into an ugly grimace. He would make her feel fear! So the Werewolf opened his jaws and emitted a mighty growl.  
  
The noise was tremendous with the air pressing the woman's hair back as if in a mighty wind! The gaping maw of death was upon her--  
  
Until she tossed something down the Werewolf's throat.  
  
_Cough, cough._ The Werewolf was silenced as the morsel stuck in his craw. He beat at his chest with a paw and finally managed to swallow. Mm. Chocolate. Honeyduke's chocolate, if he were any judge.  
  
The woman was now kneeling on the bed with her hand on her hips. "Feeling less grumpy now?"  
  
The Werewolf wasn't ready to give up on his prey yet, however. A quick snap of his jaws would end this encounter. His muzzle darted forward quickly--  
  
Just in time for Tonks to score a direct hit on his chin with a pillow that snapped his teeth together. The pillow then plopped into the grasp of his paws.  
  
"Fine, you can have the pillow back. Now, come to bed." Tonks moved over to make room.  
  
The Werewolf looked at the pillow he held and felt a gleam of victory. He got into bed, but turned his back on the vicious woman who had walloped his nose, tried to asphyxiate him with chocolate and had beaten him into submission with a pillow. By the time he was comfortably settled, he was Remus Lupin again.  
  
Remus heard Tonks mumbling, "And men complain about PMS. Really!"  
  
But then he felt Tonks pressing against him as she hugged his back and her arm went around his waist. All was forgiven as she held him tightly.  
  
Remus woke with a start. He wasn't sure what was more disturbing, his fear that the Werewolf would harm Tonks or that she would actually share a bed with him. Could it be true? Did Nymphadora Tonks have no fear of the Werewolf?  
  
Remus closed his eyes again, but as he drifted off to sleep, he swore he could feel her comforting touch. It was a night for very good dreams indeed.  
  
TBC  
  
Smile. One more dream to go. Thanks for the reviews, hope the humor makes up for fluff. Glad to see Ein is appreciated by others, by the way. 


	4. The Godfather

THE GODFATHER  
  
The half-moon looked like a happy smile pasted onto the canvas of the night, but Sirius Black paid it no heed. His mind was wandering, collecting random thoughts to toss into his dreams, but on this night, there was a very definite and disturbing theme...

"You're here!" Tonks opened the door widely and practically shrieked, "REMUS! TIME TO GO!"  
  
Sirius heard the door to the room off the hallway click open and then quickly slam shut.  
  
"We can't thank you enough, Padfoot," said Lupin as he grabbed Tonks' hand and practically carried her to the door. "They're lucky to have you as a godfather. We'll be back--"  
  
"Sometime tonight, don't wait up," interjected Tonks right before she was pulled through the front door.  
  
Sirius stood still as the couple left and cocked his head. What had he agreed to do? And who were "they?" His only godson was Harry.  
  
The front door opened again as Lupin stuck his head through to say, "Make sure they wash behind their ears."  
  
With a final click, the front door was closed and Sirius was left alone in the hallway. He turned to face the Door and realized his heart was beating erratically. Then he noticed he had transformed into Snuffles. He wagged his tail just to reassure himself, then approached the dreaded Door.  
  
Surely the "they" were Harry and his friends, Ron and Hermione. A really loyal lot, those kids, just like the Marauders had been. Well, there was no point wasting time.  
  
Snuffles approached the Door again, but now he could hear squeals and other high-pitched noises coming from the room on the other side. Up to mischief, were they? Well, no one was better qualified to manage mischief than a Marauder! He pushed at the Door with his nose and it magically opened.  
  
"Uncle Snuffles!" yelled the chorus.  
  
The huge black dog stopped in his tracks and his eyes opened wide in dismay. What were they trying to do? Compete with the Weasleys?  
  
"Dogpile Uncle Sniffles!"  
  
The fur was soon flying as he was attacked from three directions at once.  
  
"No, no, now, see here--" began Snuffles, quite surprised that he could speak.  
  
But his words fell on deaf ears.  
  
Two black wolf cubs were trying to gnaw at his hindlegs. He kicked them off as gently as possible, but their little teeth were sharp! No matter, the two little black pups, obviously twins, merely rolled into a ball, then sprang up to chase each other through his legs.  
  
But the worse attack came from the pretty little cub that was nipping at his nose. She would growl at him, with her tail wagging wildly behind her, then launch herself into an aerial assault. Given his size, she never quite caused any damage, but rather seemed content to keep leaping in the air. It was the shocking pink color of her fur that was wreaking havoc with his eyes.  
  
Snuffles began running around the room in an effort to remain a moving target. Suddenly, he stumbled over the fourth, but oldest, cub in the wolf pack. This one had brown hair and had been content to sit in a corner while gnawing on a rather large book with the utmost devotion.  
  
Luckily the brown, bookish cub did a better job of hampering the progress of his siblings than his godfather. He yelped in surprise as his sister landed on him after a jump and again when his brothers bowled him over.  
  
But, after shaking himself off, the brown cub gave a rather ferocious sounding growl that brought everyone to a standstill.  
  
"Mum and Dad told us to behave or we couldn't play with Uncle Snuffles, remember?" said the clear voice of reason. The brown cub swung his head to gaze at each sibling, but one could almost detect his eyes rolling.  
  
The little sister sat on her haunches and cocked her head as if considering his remark while the twin brothers merely panted with their tongues hanging out.  
  
The sister asked in a rather taunting voice, "So? He can't MAKE us transform into children." Then less confidently added, "Uh, can he?"  
  
"No, but he can make Snuffles disappear..."  
  
The siblings yelped in dismay at the thought, but their brother continued.  
  
"...and that means we'd be left with Uncle Sirius to watch us."  
  
Snuffles actually bent low to cover his ears with his paws as the sad howling filled the room."Padfoot? Sirius, wake up, man!" Lupin hissed at his roommate, a bit irritated to be aroused from a rather intriguing dream where he was lost in a pumpkin patch while searching for Tonks.  
  
Rather than respond, Sirius howled again until Lupin threw a pillow at him.  
  
"Oony?" came the muffled question from Sirius' bed.  
  
"You were baying like the hound of the Baskervilles," replied Lupin.  
  
"A what?" asked Sirius after he pulled the pillow off his face and sat up.  
  
"Never mind, it's a muggle story. Now, toss me back that pillow, if you would."  
  
Sirius clutched the pillow tightly and smiled wickedly at his friend. "Pillows are sacred possessions to the noble house of Black, I'll have you know."  
  
"Fine, I can live with depravation." Lupin seemed to settle back on his mattress, but then he added. "So I guess you were dreaming about Emmeline?"  
  
The pillow struck Lupin squarely across the face. "Thank you, Padfoot."  
  
"Oh, shut up, Moony," said Sirius, but settled back with a smile. Dreaming about Emmeline was a good idea after his little nightmare. Imagine, Tonks and Lupin! Only in dreams, right?  
  
The End  
  
The last dream with Sirius was the motivation to even start this story, but the image of Snuffles being attacked by a pack of wolf cubs just wouldn't be shaken off. The dream by no means conveys a personal belief on whether Lupin could pass his lycanthropy to children or whether Tonks would produce metamorphs. It's just the device that worked for the dream sequence.

So, sweet dreams to you, too. Thanks for reading and for the faithful chapter reviews.


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